They had barely made it through the door when Peter pointed at Neal and said angrily, “He stepped over the line.”

“I take it then this has something to do with the cryptic voicemail I received earlier?” Elizabeth asked as she stood, the hem of her royal blue gown swirling about her ankles.

“You look ravishing, as always,” Neal said, giving her a kiss.

“Thank you, Neal,” she replied with a smile. “But now might be a good time for you to explain why Peter’s pissed and you left me a message to get ‘all dolled up’ by seven pm.”

“Well,” Neal said with a grin. “Today is the first anniversary of our relationship. *And…* I officially got my anklet off today. I made dinner reservations for the three of us.”

“At a gay club!” Peter indignantly interjected.

Neal rolled his eyes at Peter and said, “It is *not* a ‘gay club’!” Turning his attention back to Elizabeth, he said, “It’s an upscale restaurant that has a live orchestra and dancing. It’s also *very* discreet.”

“Peter,” Elizabeth said with a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What?” he asked, wide-eyed. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea to do it so soon! He just got the anklet off today!”

“Neal’s giving the three of us a chance to go out *together* and he said the restaurant is discreet and I’m inclined to take him at his word. Besides, we all know the two of you have been an open secret at the office almost since the beginning of the relationship. So, if no one’s done anything before now, I doubt it’s really going to make a difference.”

“See?” Neal asked Peter. “I told you she’d agree with me. Now are you going to get dressed or am I going to have to make you?”

“If you do that, we’ll never get there,” Elizabeth remarked with an amused roll of her eyes. “Peter, please go get changed. I would like to go out to celebrate tonight.”

Peter sighed. “*Fine*. Come on, Neal,” he said, heading upstairs.

Neal grinned at Elizabeth. “I’ll keep him moving,” he promised.

“You’d better,” she replied. “We don’t have much time.” She sat back down on the couch. “Sometimes I don’t understand them any more than you do,” she said to Satchmo as she rubbed his ears.

Neal opened Elizabeth’s door and offered his hand. She took it and he helped her out of the car before placing her hand in the crook of his elbow and covering it with his while they waited for Peter. Seeing the name above the door, she said, “How did you get us in, Neal? I know people who’ve been waiting months to get in.”

Neal grinned mysteriously. “I have my ways. It helps a lot when you know the right people.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” she murmured as Peter joined them after giving the keys to the valet and adjusting his cuffs. “You both look wonderful tonight,” she told them again.

“I hope you’re right about this,” Peter told Neal as he offered Elizabeth an arm.

“I’m always right about things like this,” Neal replied as they headed inside, both of them on her arms. “You both know that.”

Dinner was a sumptuous affair and Neal openly flirted with both Peter and Elizabeth throughout the meal. Elizabeth took it in stride and as her due and easily flirted back with Neal and also with Peter. Peter was more reserved until three-quarters of the way through the main course before he began to relax – once he realized the sky wasn’t going to fall and he’d had a couple glasses of wine to help with the relaxation – and held up his end of the flirtation.

After a dessert of dark chocolate mousse and fresh raspberries, they lingered over coffee and wine, listening to the band play old standards and watching other couples dance. Neal was quick to subtly comment on the fact that there were male-female, male-male, and female-female couples on the dance floor, but then let the subject drop.

As one song ended and another began, Neal offered Elizabeth his hand. She took it and he led her to the dance floor. Peter watched them as they gracefully made their way around the dance floor, captivated by the striking pair they made, and felt desire spark low in his belly. How had he gotten so lucky to have not one, but two intelligent and beautiful people to call his?

He made his way to the dance floor as the song finished. “May I have the next dance?” he asked Elizabeth.

“Of course,” she replied and Neal clapped Peter on the shoulder and smiled at them as he made his way back to the table.

Peter took Elizabeth in his arms as the next song started and they moved together effortlessly. “Having a good time?” he asked her.

“Of course,” she said. “Are you?”

“Actually, I am,” he admitted. “It’s just… odd to be able to do this in public.”

“I know,” Elizabeth agreed. “But I like it. I like being able to do this.”

“Me too,” Peter said with a nod. “Damn Neal – he really knows how to do things in style, doesn’t he?”

“That’s what got him where he is isn’t it?” Elizabeth said.

Peter laughed. “I guess you could say that. But you’re right. This is nice – the three of us together.” He looked back at their table and saw Neal was watching them with a mixture of longing and wistfulness. “Think he wishes Kate was here?” he asked.

Elizabeth looked at Neal assessingly. “It’s possible. But he finally got over her after her death. He’s probably just processing that he’s actually here. It’s been quite a trip for all of us.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Peter said with a small smile.

The song ended and Neal joined them. “May I cut in?” he asked Elizabeth.

“Be my guest,” she replied as she and Peter stepped apart.

“Not so fast, Tiger,” Neal told Peter and grabbed his wrist as Peter started to turn away. “I haven’t had my dance yet.”

Peter gaped at Neal and Elizabeth kissed them both on the cheek before moving off the floor. “You cannot be serious,” he finally managed.

“Oh, I’m definitely serious,” Neal said as he took Peter’s hand in his and put his arm around Peter’s waist.

“And there’s no way you’re leading.”

“Oh, really?” Neal asked as he began to move – making Peter follow him. “Why not? Because the taller of the pair has to lead? Or is it because you don’t like to follow? Relax, Peter – you’re too stiff. Nothing’s going to happen.”

Peter glared at Neal. “Not funny, Neal.”

“Never said it was. I take dancing very seriously,” Neal replied with a sly grin.

“Like the hedonist you truly are,” Peter commented dryly.

“You didn’t seem to mind that too much last night,” Neal replied sultrily. “Better,” he said as he navigated them around a turn, “but try a little more relaxed. Maybe I’m leading because the man is supposed to be a frame to show off the beauty of his partner. Traditionally, that would be a woman, but I happen to think you should be shown off.”

Peter felt the heat rise in his cheeks as Neal pushed him out into a spin, then pulled him back in. “You really do know how to sweet talk a fella, don’t you?” he said with a laugh.

“It’s gotten me out of more than a few scrapes,” Neal replied with a smile. “If you took the time to look around, you’d see people are watching us. And I can guarantee their eyes are on you, not me.”

Peter quickly glanced around and noted that Neal was right. He could feel the other patrons watching them appreciatively, and him specifically.

“You’re a very handsome man, Peter Burke,” Neal said. “And I love you and Elizabeth more than I could have ever imagined. And I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’m looking forward to repaying you both now that I can do it on my own terms.”

“Oh, believe me, nothing like that *at* *all*,” Neal quickly assured him. “Believe me, I think you’re going to like the tricks I have up my sleeves. Tonight is just the beginning.”

“Just the beginning?” Peter sputtered.

Neal’s response was to take Peter’s face in his hands as the song ended and kiss him soundly before leading him back to the table. He offered Elizabeth his hand and helped her stand. He kissed Elizabeth’s hand and asked them, “What do you say we get out of here?”

“Sounds like a wonderful plan,” Elizabeth replied.

“What about the check?” Peter questioned.

“All ready taken care of,” Neal told him. “I told you I was taking you both out to celebrate. But I have a feeling we’re all ready to take it somewhere more intimate.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Elizabeth agreed as she took Neal’s offered arm. “Peter?”

Peter nodded and offered his arm to Elizabeth. “Me too. Let’s go.”

Inside their bedroom, clothes were discarded amidst a flurry of kisses and caresses. Then Neal pushed Peter down onto the bed, grinning as Peter’s half-hard cock tightened a little more. He leaned over Peter, forcing him to lie back on the bed, and kissed him deeply as he pressed his own erection against Peter’s and rubbed against him. Peter groaned and pulled Neal closer.

The bed dipped next to them and both men automatically reached for Elizabeth. She stayed just out of reach until they were all completely on the bed, then propped herself up against the pillows. Grinning, she accepted a deep kiss from Neal as he began teasing her nipples and Peter settled between her legs. Working in tandem, they slowly brought her to a shuddering climax.

“Oh, that’s just –” Neal murmured lustfully when Peter joined them and kissed him deeply. He groaned against Peter’s mouth as he tasted the mix of Elizabeth’s juices and the undeniable essence of Peter. “*Please*,” he whimpered.

“Please what?” Peter asked, knowing what Neal wanted, but he loved making him ask.

“Please fuck me,” Neal answered, a tinge of begging in his tone. “Both of you.”

“Our pleasure,” Peter replied.

Elizabeth handed Peter the lube and kissed him over Neal’s shoulder. Peter smiled at her and she grinned back as Neal settled himself on his back. Peter slowly prepared Neal as he sucked him off, loving the moans and whimpers he was able to pull out of Neal and watching him writhe, his hands gripping the sheets. Elizabeth caressed Neal’s torso as she whispered all sorts of dirty things into his ear. Peter had been surprised the first time she had done it, but it had made Neal come harder than he ever had in his life. She scraped her nails down Neal’s chest and stomach, making him arch up hard, and pushed a finger along Neal’s cock into Peter’s mouth. Neal whimpered and Peter’s eyes darkened as he sucked both of them. When her finger was wet, she removed it and added it to Peter’s fingers in Neal’s ass, pressing it in counterpoint to Peter. Neal tensed and came, Peter eagerly swallowing his come and laving his cock clean as he and Elizabeth withdrew their fingers.

“Damn you two,” he said. “After all that, I don’t think I’m going to be able to last.”

Peter joined them and quickly had two hands around his straining erection. Neal and Elizabeth deftly worked as Peter dropped his head to Neal’s shoulder, his breathing ragged and uneven. He came hard and had barely recovered when Neal was pushing and shifting them both so Peter’s still-mostly-hard cock was at the entrance to his ass. The brush of skin against the top of Peter’s cock sent a shiver through him and Peter automatically thrust forward into Neal. Neal moaned happily as he moved to take all of Peter inside of him, clenching tightly around his cock, feeling it start to harden again.

Both Neal and Elizabeth chuckled throatily as she straddled Neal and slowly lowered herself on his reviving erection.

“Oh, God,” Neal gasped as Elizabeth and Peter completely settled themselves at the same time. “This is just… wow. We need to do this more often.”

“We haven’t even started yet,” Peter replied as he began slowly thrusting in and out.

The three of them easily moved in tandem and quickly found a suitable rhythm. Elizabeth began whimpering softly when her orgasm was imminent, but couldn’t quite get over the edge. Both Peter and Neal reached down and slowly stroked her clit, giving her the advantage she needed and she gasped, tightening around Neal as she came. He groaned and pressed back against Peter, clenching his ass around him, his own orgasm coming over him suddenly. Peter growled lowly and thrust into Neal one last time as he came as well.

They collapsed into a sated pile on the bed, caressing and kissing as they recovered. Murmured declarations of love and happiness preceded them into sleep.